N.C. Highway 150 bridge to open to two-way traffic Monday

Published: Friday, January 18, 2013 at 4:18 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, January 18, 2013 at 4:18 p.m.

Two-way traffic will begin flowing on the new N.C. Highway 150 bridge over I-85 in Davidson County, starting Monday.

At 5 p.m., the N.C. Department of Transportation will open the eastbound lane for the first time since crews closed the old bridge for demolition in October 2010.

The westbound lane of the new bridge is open to traffic. The exit ramp from I-85 North to N.C. 150 will also remain open, but no additional ramps will open at this time.

This traffic pattern change will allow NCDOT to permanently close the Clark Road bridge over I-85 at 8 p.m. Monday. Because the Clark Road bridge has served as the only eastbound access route over the interstate in the immediate area since N.C. 150 closed, the department had to wait until the new N.C. 150 bridge opened to eastbound traffic before closing the Clark Road bridge.

NCDOT plans to demolish the Clark Road bridge this spring, so crews can complete widening work, which will expand I-85 to four lanes in each direction. Until then, contractor Balfour Beatty/Austin Bridge & Road, a Joint Venture will use the bridge to help haul construction materials into the work zone.

Crews are building a temporary ramp from the Clark Road bridge into the I-85 median, so trucks can transport materials such as gravel and asphalt into the median without crossing active traffic lanes. This innovative approach will improve motorist safety by reducing the number of large trucks on the interstate. The temporary ramp is expected to be complete in about two weeks.

<p>Two-way traffic will begin flowing on the new N.C. Highway 150 bridge over I-85 in Davidson County, starting Monday.</p><p>At 5 p.m., the N.C. Department of Transportation will open the eastbound lane for the first time since crews closed the old bridge for demolition in October 2010. </p><p>The westbound lane of the new bridge is open to traffic. The exit ramp from I-85 North to N.C. 150 will also remain open, but no additional ramps will open at this time.</p><p>This traffic pattern change will allow NCDOT to permanently close the Clark Road bridge over I-85 at 8 p.m. Monday. Because the Clark Road bridge has served as the only eastbound access route over the interstate in the immediate area since N.C. 150 closed, the department had to wait until the new N.C. 150 bridge opened to eastbound traffic before closing the Clark Road bridge.</p><p>NCDOT plans to demolish the Clark Road bridge this spring, so crews can complete widening work, which will expand I-85 to four lanes in each direction. Until then, contractor Balfour Beatty/Austin Bridge & Road, a Joint Venture will use the bridge to help haul construction materials into the work zone. </p><p>Crews are building a temporary ramp from the Clark Road bridge into the I-85 median, so trucks can transport materials such as gravel and asphalt into the median without crossing active traffic lanes. This innovative approach will improve motorist safety by reducing the number of large trucks on the interstate. The temporary ramp is expected to be complete in about two weeks.</p>